05/06/08

June 5th World Environment Day

Unep asks people to adopt low carbon emission lifestyles against global warming

In order to make people worldwide aware of the environment UNEP (The United Nations Environment Programme) celebrates once again the world environment day. The “Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy” motto is an invitation for everybody, nations, businesses and institutions to change their lifestyles to reduce gas emissions responsible for the greenhouse effect.

According to UNEP the solutions against climate change are for example energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, the protection of forests; these are, however, just some of the 80 guidelines , that, classified in alphabetical order in the UNEP’s website, everybody can quite easily follow to celebrate this worldwide event.

The World Environment Day started in 1972 and this year’s celebrations take place in Wellington, New Zealand, a country that, rich in forests, is quite concerned with their preservation by means of management technologies and strategies.

The UNO Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, just back home from the FAO summit in Rome, sent a message in which he pointed out the economic and political consequences of global warming: “the poor will be hardest hit by weather-related disasters and by soaring price inflation for staple foods, while richest nations are facing the prospect of economic recession and a world in conflict over diminishing resources.”

The solution suggested by the UN Secretary General to mitigate climate change, to eradicate poverty and promote economic and political stability is the usual one: a change in our lifestyle.